By Mike McCombs
The Island News
When it came to local elections Tuesday, the voters of northern Beaufort County essentially said they preferred more of the same.
Beaufort Mayor Phil Cromer and City Councilmen Neil Lipsitz and Mitch Mitchell appeared to be voted in for another term despite challenges; State House members Shannon Erickson (R-124) and Michael Rivers (D-121) won reelection; and State Senators Chip Campsen (R-43) and Tom Davis (R-46) fought off new challengers for another term.
Meanwhile, Beaufort County’s 2024 Transportation Sales & Use Tax Referendum (2 questions) was a no-go with voters still smarting over a lack of action after the County’s last transportation tax and a lack of transparency and trust in County government.
Mayor of Beaufort and Beaufort City Council
Thanks to a big boost from some of the record 63, 287 early votes cast in Beaufort County, Phil Cromer easily held off City Councilman Josh Scallate with 57 percent of the vote to win his first full term as Mayor of Beaufort after initially winning the job when Steven Murray resigned with 11 months remaining on his term.
The race for two expiring City Council seats was a bit tighter with the two incumbents edging the two challengers.
Mitch Mitchell led the way with almost 29 percent (2,563); Neil Lipsitz earned 26 percent of the vote (2,320); Julie Crenshaw grabbed 23 percent of the vote (2,077) and Josh Gibson won 21 percent of the vote (1,899).
(Editor’s note: At press time, a number of absentee votes had not been counted which could affect these City of Beaufort races.)
Statehouse races
Incumbent Rep. Shannon Erickson (R-124), one of the most powerful legislators in the state, didn’t feel much heat from challenger Melinda Henrickson (D) of Beaufort, winning with a commanding 64 percent of the vote to return to Columbia for her 10th term.
In House District 121, incumbent Rep. Michael F. Rivers Sr. (D) held off St. Helena Island’s Shelley Gay Yuhas with 57 percent of the vote, and in District 122, with just a handful of voters in Beaufort County, incumbent Rep. Bill Hager (R) held off challenger Audrey Williams (D) with 53 percent of the vote.
State Senators Chip Campsen (R-43) and Tom Davis (R-46) each fended off new Democratic challengers. Campsen bested Charleston’s Julie Hussey with 61 percent of the vote, while Davis beat Gwyneth Saunders with a commanding 68 percent of the vote.
U.S. House of Representatives
Nancy Mace won a third term as South Carolina’s Representative of the 1st Congressional District, easily fighting off Michael B. Moore, the great great grandson of Civil War hero, Civil Rights legend, statesman and Beaufort native Robert Smalls, with almost 60 percent of the vote.
“Those who underestimate me, don’t bother me; it just makes me work harder; it also just makes victory so much sweeter,” Mace said in her victory speech. “I am going back to Washington to stand with South Carolina in my heart. We’re going to secure our border, take back what it means to be a woman, and fight for our country.
“I will stand resolute against all those who would leave us lawless, self-serving and short-sighted. I will stand in their way and tell them ‘HELL NO.’ And to anyone who wants to take a shot at me— you better not miss. To those who aim to divide us– you are outnumbered.”
Beaufort County Special Sales and Use Tax
The Beaufort County 2024 Transportation Sales & Use Tax Referendum faced an uphill battle from the start thanks to residents unhappy with a lack of action after the County’s last penny sales tax.
The tax was voted on in two questions. The first was the tax itself, which was to be a 1% sales tax levied on most retail purchases for 10 years or until $950 million was raised, whichever came first.
Of the money raised, 95% or $900 million would have gone toward transportation projects; 5% or $50 million to land and water protection purposes.
The seconds sought the approval to bond $515 million of the funds to potentially complete some projects sooner.
Both questions were votd down roughly 55 percent to 45 percent.
Constitutional question
The one constitutional question on the ballot asked if the state constitution’s guaranteed right to vote should change from “every” to “only a” citizen who’s at least 18 and properly registered.
Supporters of the change say it was to prevent any future court ruling allowing non-citizens to vote in local elections in South Carolina.
The change overwhelmingly passed with more than 85 precent of the vote, statewide.
Local races
In Beaufort County Council’s 1st District, incumbent Gerald Dawson (D) defeated challenger Adam Biery (R) with 57 percent of the vote.
And Isaac Gordon III beat Tradd Corinthian Williams with 56 percent of the vote to take the Board of Education 1st District seat that belonged to Earl Campbell, who is retiring.
Unopposed
These candidates on the ballot in northern Beaufort County ran unopposed, winning their races:
District 45, S.C. Senate: Margie Bright Matthews (Democrat – incumbent).
14th Circuit Solicitor: Isaac M. “Duffie” Stone, III (Republican – incumbent).
Beaufort County Clerk of Court: Jerri Roseneau (incumbent).
Beaufort County Coroner: Deborah Ann Youmans (Republican)
District 3, Beaufort County Council: York Glover (Democrat – incumbent).
Soil and Water District Commission: Denise M. Parsick.
Mike McCombs is the Editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.
CONTESTED RACES
Race/Candidate Votes (%)
Beaufort Mayor
Philip E. Cromer 3,158 (57.25)
Josh Scallate 2,315 (41.97)
100% Reporting
Beaufort City Council
Julie Crenshaw 2,111 (23.23)
Josh Gibson 1,931 (21.25)
Neil Lipsitz 2,371 (26.09)
Mitch Mitchell 2,622 (28.85)
100% Reporting
District 1, U.S. House of Representatives
Nancy Mace (R) 221,488 (58.61)
Michael B. Moore (D) 155,721 (41.21)
100% Reporting
District 43, State Senate
Chip Campsen (R) 41,444 (61.44)
Julie Hussey (D) 25,961 (38.49)
100% Reporting
District 46, State Senate
Tom Davis (R) 45,486 (68.04)
Gwyneth Saunders (D) 21,336 (31.92)
100% Reporting
District 121, SC House of Representatives
Michael F. Rivers Sr. (D) 9,516 (57.66)
Shelley Gay Yuhas (R) 6,971 (42.24)
100% Reporting
District 122, SC House of Representatives
Bill Hager (R) 11,223 (53.59)
Audrey Williams (D) 9,708 (46.35)
100% Reporting
District 124, SC House of Representatives
Shannon Erickson (R) 12,660 (64.22)
Melinda Henrickson (D) 7,034 (35.67)
100% Reporting
District 1, County Council
Adam Biery (R) 2,527 (40.17)
Gerald Dawson (D) 3,642 (57.90)
100% Reporting
District 1, Beaufort County Board of Education
Isaac Gordon III 1,853 (56.51)
Tradd Corinthian Williams 1,388 (42.33)
100% Reporting
Constitutional Question
Yes 1,891,185 (85.97)
No 308,519 (14.03)
93.48% Reporting
Transportation Tax Referendum
Yes 41,972 (44.42)
No 52,515 (55.58)
100% Reporting
Transportation Tax Bond
Yes 44.91 (41,528)
No 55.09 (50,941)
100% Reporting
Scenes from Election Night
